What They Are
Alzheimer's care facilities are live-in facilities that provide care for individuals with dementia who cannot live independently. Both nursing homes and assisted living facilities can provide residential care for Alzheimer's patients; however, the term Alzheimer's care facility typically is used to describe assisted living residences.
Sometimes Alzheimer's care facilities are a part of a larger assisted living community which also serves seniors who do not have dementia, but require some type of personal care or help. These types of facilities tend to have a separate dementia unit although dementia patients may socialize and interact with other residents during activities. Some assisted living facilities provide only for mild dementia care and require residents to move should their dementia become more pronounced. Make sure your loved one is thoroughly assessed before looking into Alzheimer's care units so you know exactly what kind of care your loved one needs now—and what level of care they will most likely require in the future. Ensure that your loved one isn't forced to move out of community by asking questions as to what kind of care is available and under what circumstances a person would be asked to leave the community.
What to Expect
Alzheimer's care facilities provide room and board, some housekeeping, social activities, supervision and assistance with basic activities like personal hygiene, dressing, eating and walking. A facility that specializes in Alzheimer's or dementia care should also have safety precautions in place to prevent wandering, such as personal monitoring systems or locked dementia units. Caregivers should be trained in handling behaviors associated with dementia, such as Sundowner's syndrome or combativeness.
Facility staff either provides or arranges transportation for residents. Most facilities offer three meals per day, as well as snacks in between meals.
These facilities are considered nonmedical facilities and are not required to have nurses, certified nursing assistants or doctors on staff, although many facilities do have medical staff either onsite or on call. Medications are usually stored and distributed to residents so that the dosage and timing is monitored.
